Market basket.

Demand For Of Offbeat Mushrooms Sprouts In U.s. Supermarkets

May 21, 1997|By Phil Lempert. Special to the Tribune.

Don't look for mushrooms in some dark, dank place; these days they're basking in the limelight of the supermarket produce section. Supermarket Business, a trade magazine based in Ft. Lee, N.J., reports that sales of mushrooms have been rising steadily since the 1960s. In terms of consumption, they have become the fastest-growing produce item.

The button mushroom accounts for more than 90 percent of sales, according to the Mushroom Council in Rose-ville, Calif., but it's common for supermarkets to stock as many as half a dozen of what have traditionally been considered exotic mushrooms.

"In the last two to three years, Americans have been experimenting with more specialties," said Wade Whitfield, president of the Mushroom Council. "Often they will eat them in a restaurant, then try to make the dish themselves at home." For instance, sales of portobello mushrooms, a mere blip four years ago, increased to about 25 million pounds in 1996, he said.

Though the U.S. used to import most of these exotics, such as enoki mushrooms from Japan, domestic companies are starting to cultivate varieties such as portobello, shiitake, crimini and enoki. Pennsylvania accounts for half of all mushrooms grown in the U.S.; about 20 percent are grown in California.

Here are a few of the most popular up-and-comers:

- Portobello (or portabella): A giant crimini mushroom (which in turn is just a larger, brown version of the ubiquitous white button mushroom). It has a hearty, meaty flavor.

- Shiitake: Tan to dark brown, it looks like a small umbrella and has a full-bodied taste.

- Oyster: Delicate in flavor, it has a fluted shell shape.

- Enoki: White and fragile, it has a long thin stem and tiny button cap.

- Crimini (also known as Italian brown): Related to the white button mushroom, it is tan to brown.

When buying mushrooms, know what you're getting. Prices can vary widely. Portobellos can run anywhere from $3 to $7 per pound, shiitakes $7 to $16 per pound. As the market expands, prices should come down.

Select blemish-free mushrooms with dry, unwrinkled surfaces. Mushrooms are usually at peak flavor when the thin membrane under the cap starts to open. They're fragile, so handle them gently. Mushrooms are so delicate, they should never be misted or sprayed. They should be kept far from supermarket misters.

Store loose mushrooms in a paper bag. With packaged mushrooms, remove the plastic but leave them in the tray and wrap with paper towels. Temperature control is critical. They should be refrigerated between 34 and 38 degrees to prevent browning. Mushrooms absorb odors, so don't put them near items with strong smells, such as onions.

Dried mushrooms, which are gaining more shelf space at supermarkets, need to be soaked in water to regain their shape. Their main advantages are their stronger flavors and longer storage time-up to a year or more.

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